Tennis net center band attaching equipment



Dec. 29, 1942. R. s. BUNKER 2,305,774

TENNIS NET CENTER BAND ATTACHING EQUIPMENT I Filed Jan. 18, 1941 INVENTOR; WGyEZ ISZBM/WFLT,

ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 29, 1942 TENNKS NET CENTER BAND ATTACHING EQUIPMENT Royce S. Bunker, Baltimore, Md., assig'nor to The Linen Thread (30., Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application January 18, 1941, Serial No. 375,004

' 4 Claims.

This invention relates to nets used, for instance, in the game of tennis and particularly to the equipment which is usually positioned at the center of the net to hold its top margin down to a certain determined elevation and also restrain the net against undue displacement under the impact of the balls. This equipment usually includes a band embracing or straddling the net, an anchoring device set in the ground and some expedient for coupling the band to the anchoring device, as detachably. The means which comprises the anchoring device and coupling expedient is usually such that whereas it may hold the top margin of the net at the proper elevation, it prevents the bottom margin of the net at the center from hanging straight down; that is to say, it undesirably supports this center bottom part of the net in a gathered state so that the bottom margin of the net is not substantially parallel with the ground from end to end but is more or less held up at the center. According to this invention this fault is overcome. Further, whereas the anchoring device of the improved means for connecting the band with the ground may and preferably does not project appreciably above the ground, the coupling device thereof is capable of being readily connected to or disconnected from the anchoring device and when connected therewith it is proof against being accidentally detached therefrom. Again, the improved means is simple in construction and requires the minimum of cost to manufacture.

In the drawing,

Fig. 1 shows the net and band, partly broken away, the band being held down by the means of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said means and of fragments of the band; and

Fig. 3 is a plan of the blank from which the coupling device is formed.

a designates the net and b the usual fabric band straddling the net. The band may have any conventional type of device, as a buckle (not shown), for varying its longitudinal extent.

The anchor device or anchor here consists of a strip of flat metal having its terminals I bent off in the same direction and preferably tapering so that the device may be readily driven into the ground. Portions 2 of each terminal may be bent out of the plane thereof to form spurs to resist upward displacement of the device from the ground. Each terminal is desirably twisted through 90, as at 3, so as to resist displacing efiort in a horizontal direction through the Vertical plane occupied by the net, as when struck by a persons foot. The intermediate portion or horizontal bar desirably has opposite flanges 4 with which the coupling device is to be engaged; but these might be omitted, as will be obvious, in which case the coupling device would engage the under surface of the bar. The anchor device is preferably driven into the ground G so that its horizontal bar is about level therewith.

To form the coupling device a rectangular blank of sheet metal 5 is provided. This is slitted at 6 on lines parallel with and more or less nearer to opposite margins of the blank, such slits extending appreciably short of and equal distance from the other two margins. The blank is also slitted at I on a central line extending from each slit 6 to the adjoining two first-named margins, each two adjoining slits 6'I defining a T. On lines 8 paralleling slits I and here coincident with the end of slit 6 the blank is bent so as to develop portions I I which are perpendicular to the intermediate web I2 and each of whose segments originally existing outward of lines 8 are upstanding while each of the two segments originally existing inward of said line will depend to provide the device with a depending fork; and on a line 9 inward of and parallel with each line 8 the latter two segments of each portion II are so bent as in the ultimate coupling to form lugs I3 projecting toward but spaced from each other, to wit, to admit between them the horizontal bar of the anchor device but underlie its flanges 4. Each upstanding segment has a horizontal slot I0 through which one end of the band b is eX- tended and then stitched back on itself.

The net is assumed in Fig. 1 to be supported by the usual cable stretched between posts and so adjusted that the top of the net, at least at the center, will be somewhat higher than when the band has been applied. Then the band, having the coupling device attached thereto, is made to straddle the net and the coupling device interconnected with the anchor device as shown in Fig. 1, preferably so as to draw the net down so that its top margin will be at the proper height from the ground. While the coupling device is capable of being readily connected with or detached from the anchor device by hand it is not likely to become accidentally detached because the displacement necessary for that purpose must be in a direction lengthwise of the net whereas the normal displacement of the net, caused by impact of the balls, is in a direction through the net. That horizontal portion of the anchor which here immediately includes both flanges 4 provides a free terminal at at least one end thereof. The

coupling device is in the example only removable from the anchor by movement lengthwise of said portion past such free terminal, being normally confined by the anchor against removal from said portion transversely thereof.

The upstanding segments or portions of the coupling device provide between them a fork between whose extremities the lower margin of the net may be brought nearly to the ground (or appreciably nearer thereto than as shown in Fig. 1), especially if the web l2 lies in a plane close to that of the lugs 13, as shown.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is: e

1. Means for anchoring to the ground a band to straddle a tennis net or the like including, with an anchor to be set in the ground and having a substantially horizontal portion provided with a free terminal, a coupling device to be attached to the band and engaged with said portion and movable lengthwise thereof past said terminal to clear said portion.

2. Means for anchoring to the ground a band to straddle a tennis net or the like including, with an anchor to be set in the ground and having a substantially horizontal portion provided with a free terminal, a coupling device to be attached to the band and engaged with said portion and normally confined by the anchor against removal therefrom transversely thereof but movable lengthwise of said portion past said terminal to clear said portion.

3. Means for anchoring to the ground a band to straddle a tennis net or the like including, with an anchor to be set in the ground and having a substantially horizontal portion provided with a free terminal, a coupling device to be attached to the band and having a depending fork straddling and engaged under said portion, said device being normally confined by the anchor against removal from said portion transversely thereof but being movable lengthwise of said portion past said terminal to clear said portion.

4. Means for anchoring to the ground a band to straddle a tennis-net or the like including, with an anchor to be set in the ground and having a substantially horizontally extending rigid portion, a coupling device,,including a substantially horizontal web and upright portions fianking the web at opposite sides thereof and projecting both above and below the plane of the web, the upwardly projecting parts of said portions forming means to which to attach the band when straddling the net and the downwardly projecting parts of said portions being engaged under and with said rigid portion of the anchor.

ROYCE S. BUNKER. 

